Cyprian Kotut wins Paris marathon with personal best time
By Raz Mirza
Last Updated: 03/04/16 12:35pm
Cyprian Kotut set a personal best to win the 40th Paris marathon on Sunday as Kenyan runners pulled off a podium sweep amid tight security.
More than 50,000 runners competed in the race, covering more than 25 miles across Paris, starting on the Champs-Elysees and finishing near the Arc de Triomphe.
Safety was of major concern with thousands of armed soldiers and police patrolling the streets after terrorist attacks in the French capital killed 130 people in November.
The 24-year-old Kotut, who also won the Paris half-marathon last month, completed the 42.195-kilometer (26 mile) race in two hours, seven minutes and 11 seconds to improve his personal best set last year when finishing runner-up in Milan on his debut over the distance (2:08.55).
Kotut, the younger brother of three-time London Marathon winner Martin Lel, won ahead of Laban Korir and Stephen Chemlany.
In bright sunshine and mild temperatures, the race remained open until the final kilometers. Kotut accelerated with four kilometers to go and won alone on the Avenue Foch.
Another Kenyan runner, Visiline Jepkesho, claimed the women's title, in 2:25.52.
